Gold Griffin Spiral Hair Ornaments

One of a pair of gold spiral hair ornaments with copper alloy cores and terminals in the form of a crested griffin's head. These gold-plated spiral earrings are not quite a pair but were probably worn as such. They have copper alloy cores.

Each griffin-head is made of sheet gold in left and right halves, with ears added separately and a hole pierced through between beak and tongue. On one the chest of the griffin is decorated with a ruff of vertical lines, below which are six spirals of plain wire. In the centre is a small rosette with beaded wire petals enamelled alternately blue and green. The collar below the spirals is bordered above and below with a beaded wire. The frieze between is decorated with two rows of scales, the upper green, the lower blue, and a green band below. The other terminal has a cap decorated alternately with blue and green leaves, and a collar bordered with wire below. The griffin's head of the second earring has droplets filled with enamel instead of vertical lines on the ruff, a smaller rosette and two rows of ovolos (filled with enamel). The cap on the other terminal has a corrugated collar with smaller leaves on top (alternately green).

Dimensions: Diameter: 2.90 centimetres about ; Weight: 15.90 grammes

Object Type: hair-ornament

Techniques: gold-plated; inlaid

Classical

1894,1101.450